For the last several decades, there have been provided in the prior art various taping tools by which drywall tape can be applied to the seam formed by two drywall panels. The tape moves through a chamber defined by the tool and out a front dispensing opening. A taping compound (often called "mud") is positioned in the chamber so as to come into contact with one surface of the tape as it moves through the chamber.
For a number of reasons, it is sometimes desirable to vary the slot width of the forward dispensing opening or slot. One prior art method of doing this is to provide an adjustable plate which is mounted to a front part of the tool on a slant, and which is held in place by a pair of threaded studs and associated wing nuts and washers, so that this can be manually adjusted. However, precise adjustments for a plate such as this presents difficulties. This type of prior art applicator is discussed in more detail at the end of the specification of this patent application. Another consideration is that the component parts of a taping tool be arranged so that these can be easily assembled and disassembled for cleaning.
A search of the patent literature has disclosed a couple of patents of possible relevance to the present patent application. These are the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,781 (Holsten) discloses a taping tool where the tape to be applied extends through the chamber of a cement containing section and outwardly through the forward end thereof, to extend around a roller 70, which presses the tape into engagement with the wall board surface. There is an auxiliary tape cutting knife 46 which is mounted to the wall of the housing in a manner to be slideably movable to an extended position to cut the tape which is being applied.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,028 (Mills et al.) shows a taping tool where the tape moves through a chamber containing the "mud" M, and this tape passes out a forward end to be pressed by the main rollers 5 having peripheral teeth 9 against the wall surface. There is a flexible plate 49 secured to the front end of the floor member 31 and positioned so that the free end can be selectively moved by turning a screw member 51 to adjust the size of the tape outlet opening 29. The screw member 51 passes through a hole in the floor member 31 and has an exposed head portion 53 which can be manipulated to position the plate 49.